Method of making gutter circles



Dec.'26, 1944.

M. RACHLIN METHOD OF MAKING GUTTER CIRCLES Filed May 5, 1941 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 This invention is directed 'tda'methodofniak- *"inga guttercircle:andthegutter"circleformed by 'such met-ho'd. The term gutter circle, as gen 'erally"em'ployed 'irr'theart, is "used to designate an "'arcuate membersubstantiallyiri theconfigurationw:

of a-' semi-circle which is used to 'supporta' roof gutter.

" lrf'the presentcase, it is'an object of theinven tionto provide arr-exceedingly strong guttercircle operations'which areernployed to a'great extent Figure-d isa sectional view" taken" 'on 'line 6 -6 oof-Figure and lFig-ure' F-is =a1partial'section taken Online 1 ot Figure? 5.

5 It will be understoodthat theblank*as shown -i-n}-Fl?igure I initially was a=straight piece of wire of "predetermined length, the length depending upon* thesi'ze ofgutter circle which it is desired to'produce. 'The stra-ightpiece ofwire'has ateri 10" min'al' portion 3 which is bent *so" that its axis ex- --tends in a* plane parallertothe axisof the major portion l. The terminal*portion -5 initially extended outwardly from 'themajor portion I with i its axis also in a plane parallel to the major por- ==termd the remainder. "The portion 6 ismade' by reversely beiiding the end of theterminal portion 5. Ihus far-TI have desc'ribed the transition of a length of wire fromiitslinitial straight'condition in the present day'manufacture ofgutter circles$20 intd the blanmshown in' Figure'l. "These opera- It "is-a =spe'cific object of thexinvention to form r J a "gutter circle *from -wire *which when finished a= smoothy-relativ'ely wide; fiat,- gutter engagfing 'surface which-extend-s at" right an'gles to flat. tened terminalportions.

.IIt' is anotherobject of 1 the invention to'-"form a *fg'uttercircle from' wire in suchJman-nerthat practtically 'allrrwaste is -entirely eliminated, "which is at: not-the ease with sheet metalcircles.

It iss a specific object or the' invention toemploy a .relatively inexpensive starting material such as wire, which costs much less thanstrip material and to form this wire into a gutter circle having wide surfaces at right angles. In addition, the invention contemplates a strengthening of the wire by pressing and flattening operations somewhat in the nature of a forging operation.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particulartions are so simple thata -showing thereof is not nbelieved to be necessary. =It is to 'be understood ithat the bends 'Z, land ll maybe made simultanwaeou'sly, andat the=same time, that the length of '25 1wire:.isueut ifrom stock. On the 'other hand, the

s-sto'ck may' betcut intorpredetermined lengths and 'z-bentzin any-' desiredzsequence.

.cRegardlessuofr the manner inx WhiCh the blank ibfi Fligureil is\ obtaIi-ned,=1 itis next subjected to a flattening operation. This consists of exerting :wressumtby "means Jot-Ladies or otherwise upon the dqaortionsi 3,:5zcand 6 1 and LL prefer to 1' flatten both ends at the sametime. The blank will then have the appearance shown in Figure 2.

" The blank of Figure 2 is then subjected to a pressing operation which consists of changing the cross-section of the portion I from circular into the configuration shown in Figure 6. It is to be understood that the pressing operation takes place in a direction at right angles to the flattening operation and as a result, a wide, fiat gutter engaging surface 9 is produced which extends at right angles to the flattened terminal portions. It is to be particularly noticed that I obtain relatively wide surfaces at right angles without twisting the metal in any degree.

The blank is then subjected to a trimming operation which consists of forming a notch 8 in the end 3 and trimming off the outermost portion of the terminal 3. It also involves trimming the extreme end of the reverse bend B. If desired, the terminal portion 5 may be punched to provide the apertures II], ll, [2 and I3 and at the same time, the outstanding projections I4, I5

55 and 16 may be formed in the portion 5. All of the last named operations may take place sequentially or simultaneously. It is, of course, the function of the apertures and projections to provide a means for interlocking and securing the gutter circle to what is known in the art as a shank. A shank is a metallic member which normally extends beneath the shingles or other roofing material and has a depending portion vertically arranged and the circle ordinarily is secured to such depending portion.

From the preceding description it will be seen that I have provided a gutter circle which can be made expeditiously and inexpensively.

Furthermore, it will be noted that there are no twists in my circle and that it is considerably stronger due to pressing and flattening than the piece of wire from which it was made originally. The gutter circle made according to my invention utilizes substantially all of the metal of the initial length ofl wire $01 that practically no waste is involved such as occurs with sheet metal stampings and the like. The circle is provided with a relatively wide, flat gutter engaging surface 9 and is exceedingly strong due to the provision of the reinforcing rib 1.

I have used the terms flattening and pressing becausein one instance, the terminal portions are provided with flat, parallel surfaces and in the other, the middle portion or remainder is provided with one flat surface 9. The strengthening of the initial wire is approximately the same in both cases since the metal is subjected to a die forging operation.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

terminal portions of said length of wire, i such manner that the axes of said terminal portions extend in planes parallel to the axis of the remainder of said length of wire, then reversely bending one end then flattening such bent terminal portions, then pressing the remainder of said length of wire in a direction at right angles to the direction of flattening, to provide a flat gutter engaging surface.

3. A method of making a gutter circle which comprises providing a' length of wire,'bending the terminal portions of said length of wire, in such manner that the axes of said terminal portions extend in planes parallel to the axis of the remainder of said length of wire, then reversely bending one end then flattening such bent terminal portions, then pressing the remainder of said length of wire in a direction at right angles to the direction of flattening, to provide a flat gutter engaging surface, then bending said length of wire into arcuate form.

4. A method of making a gutter circle which comprises providing a length of wire, bending the terminal portions of said length of wire, in such manner that the axes of said terminal portions extend in planes parallel to the axis of the remainder of said length of wire, then reversely bending one end, then flattening such bent terminal lportions, then pressing the remainder of said length of wire in a direction at right angles to the direction of flattening, to provide a flat gutter engaging surface, then bending said length of wire into arcuate form and trimming the flattened terminal portions to provide securing tongues.

5. A method of making a cutter circle which comprises providing a length of wire, bending the terminal portions of said length of wire, in such manner that the axes of said terminal portions extend in planes parallel to the axis of the remainder of said length of wire, then reversely bending one end, then flattening such bent terminal portions, then pressing the remainder of said length of Wire in a direction at right angles to the direction of flattening, to pro- 

